Classic Buddhist Texts

Asvaghosa’s Transcendent MessageWhy do some forms of media stay relevant for decades and even centuries, while others fade as quickly as they were created? We keep watching It’s a Wonderful Life every Christmas, still listen to The Beatles on our IPods and still go and see Picasso’s paintings in museums. The process by which these pieces of art were created has been outdated for years now, but the messages they relay transcend generations and give them staying power. This holds true for Asvaghosa’s Life of the Buddha, a story that has made a transition across many different time periods and language barriers. This story had the power to do this because it is ripe with these lessons that can be utilized by any person in any time period. One specific section with an abundance of these lessons is Canto 4. The premise of this Canto is a classic relatable theme of a parent thinking they know what is best for their kid, and wanting to steer their child’s life, while the child wishes to pursue a life of their own. This child is Siddhartha, who has no desire for any pleasures in the world, after he realizes the nature of old age, sickness and death in life. His father is a king who wishes for his son to lead the wonderful life he is given. In order to steer his son back to the path of his wishing, the king has Udayin, a chaplain’s son bring Siddhartha out to a city park, where women gather to try and seduce the prince. The king hoped that his son would cave in to the pleasures these women offer. Siddhartha ultimately stuck to his path, and did not give in to pleasure. This brings about a disagreement between Udayin and Siddhartha, about whether it is right for the prince to deny the wishes of the women. In writing this scene, Asvaghosa gives us both sides of this argument in the opinions of both characters. In the way Asvaghosa relays these opinions, I believe he wants his audience to agree with...

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999738020
Friday, February 15th, 2013
Word Count: 1498 words
Zain Malik: Culture Fo Guanh Shan Temple of Toronto
Naima Nadeem: Power 6525 Millcreek Drive
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Figure 1: Picture Taken by Zain Malik - Entrance
Figure [ 1 ]: Picture Taken by Zain Malik - Entrance
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...000 that get injured yearly?
There are many ways to prevent these accidents. The first is to just simply not do it! According to a Nationwide Insurance study in 2008, 66% of drivers between the age of 18 and 24 send or receive text messages while behind the wheel. Text messaging while driving leads the list as the biggest distraction while driving. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that distracted drivers account for almost 80% of all crashes and 65% of near-crashes in the United States. In the last couple of years, teenagers and adults from around the country and even our area have been killed while texting and driving. Researchers at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park estimate more than 3,000 annual teen deaths nationwide from texting and 300,000 injuries. Texting and driving has increased tremendously as the technology keeps advancing. Wouldn’t you want to be one the people who don’t even need to worry about this issue or being one of the 300,000 that get injured yearly?
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